Q: To update this application, sign in to the account you used to purchase it.

The Spotlight fix worked. Who would have guessed that App Store uses Spotlight (and for that matter, iTunes uses Safari cookies). Go figure.

Does anyone think re-indexing my entire HD will work for me?  I bought my Macbook pro in September, its a 13 inch mid 2012 version.  It came with iphoto, imovie, and garrage band pre-installed.  There are updates for these apps but i get this same message when I try to update, but i too only have one apple id, and no one else has been on my macbook.  There was no option to accept these apps like i see in other threads, and they dont show up under purchases.  Also this mac was bought new.  before I try this reindex thing, what exactly is that, and how will that effect my computer, Will it change how my folders are organized or anything?  Thanks for any help.  Ive called apple support and emailed expresslane....no help at all really, they just keep running me through the same hoops.  I like iphoto and would love to update it. 

It's worth a try! It won't change any of your folder organization that I'm aware of, it will only create a new record of where everything is located. Hope it helps:)

Thanks for the reply.  I tried it, and still get the same message I am so stumpted.  I have no clue what can be causing this issue. 

I talked to Apple support today about this; there are two versions of iPhoto, one that ships with the OS, and another you can buy from the App Store. The difference is that you can only update the OS shipped version though Software Update (despite it taking you to the App Store still, very confusing).

This finally resolved it for me:

1. Trash iPhoto, iMovie and Garage Band
2. Reinstall them from your origninal OSX application CD (the CD must be grey, no idea why).
3. Use Software Update to update it.

Sign out while on the update page, then click to update the app and put in your usename and password.  It should update. Amazing that you could spend almost an hour or more with Apple, but this simple workaround fixed it for me.

Ugh, was this annoying. I got it to work by following rastajellyfish's above post. THANKS!

My problem was fixed with following:

Exclude your entire hard drive from the spotlight preferences (in the system preferences under "Spotlight") then reopen the pref pane and remove the exclusion. It will reindex your HD in Spotlight. But you probably won't even have to wait for the indexing to finish. My was fixed as soon as the re-index started.

Thanks rastajellyfish!

Spotlight trick, as well as trashing and restoring, were not working for me. Software Update, meanwhile, is just not part of this OS anymore.

Who would have thought the same account credentials would suddenly work when they're used in this ad-hoc way. Sign out of all accounts, then hit "Update." Respond to the prompt with the same old user account and password, and now it's fine.

Works! Thank you.

Brilliant SeeBee!  So simple.  Took me all of 15 seconds after reading your suggestion to fix my issue.  Thanks.

NIce work, Rastajellyfish...

After trying a some of the other suggestions unsucessfully (Spotlight re-indexing, Applications folder to 'Private' etc) this worked for me.

Cheers,

Bryan.

Turning on Spotlight indexing solved this problem for me.  I had turned it off for some reason.

Thanks!

perfect!

SeeBee, thanks! Worked perfectly using your instructions.